Aboveground foundation for building superstructures

ABSTRACT

A foundation for building superstructures is formed of metalogs that define an aboveground enclosure, a confined first fill that substantially fills the enclosure to a height sufficient to anchor and support the superstructure, and a loose second fill that is placed atop the first fill and leveled and compacted to form a hardpan floor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to foundations for building superstructures andmore particularly to a novel and effective aboveground foundation andmethod for its construction.

Description of the Prior Art

One of the simplest and fastest methods of constructing relatively smallbuilding structures uses fabricated hollow “logs.” They can be made ofplastic or other materials but are usually made of metal and aretherefore commonly referred to as “metalogs”. To minimize deliverycosts, the metal strip material used to form the metalogs is shipped inthe form of coils, taking up little room.

At a construction site, it is lock-formed into metalogs by acommercially available tube-forming machine installed with complementaryequipment and tools in a containerized trailer. An internal-combustionengine typically powers an electrical generator that drives the machine.Since there are no other power requirements, the construction site canbe in a remote location having no connection to the electrical powergrid. This type of construction is ideally suited for employment inremote rural areas, where housing and other building needs are difficultto meet.

In this type of construction, connectors fitted to the ends of themetalogs, which have their axes oriented horizontally, are stackedvertically at corners where two superstructure walls meet and are lockedtogether to stabilize the walls. Connectors are also used to connectmetalogs forming a roof.

The present applicant is a leading developer of this type ofconstruction, as exemplified by his prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,619,089,5,282,343, 8,074,413, 8,099,917, 8,122,657, 8,215,105, 8,555,575, and8,567,139 and an application with an indication of allowable subjectmatter Ser. No. 13/507,289, plus numerous patents in other countries.The identified U.S. patents and applications are incorporated herein byreference.

The superstructure of a relatively small building comprising metalogscan be assembled, start to finish, in less than an hour using unskilledlocal labor. Its (typically) steel construction renders it impervious totermites and resistant to water and fire damage, and its structurallyintegrated walls, upper floor and roof, combined with low weight, renderit less susceptible than masonry and other conventional construction todamage by earthquakes. Roofing sheets or, alternatively, a membraneimpermeable to water is applied on top of the metalogs of the roof toshed rain. The hollow logs can easily receive internal and externalcladding where deemed desirable for aesthetic or other reasons.

These considerations have made this type of construction broadlyacceptable in several countries for the construction of buildings of alltypes of up to two stories and especially as a means of providing newbuilding structures and replacing those destroyed by man-made or naturaldisasters.

One of the most complicated parts in building construction is thefoundation. In conventional practice it requires among other things,bringing cement, gravel, sand and iron rods from a distance, diggingditches, pouring concrete, or doing both, all of which requires theinvolvement of masons and is time-consuming.

In order to make buildings of this type even simpler, faster and moreaffordable, there is a need for further improvements in terms ofsolutions that may offset the need of bringing skilled workers, cement,gravel, sand and iron rods from a distance, to then dig ditches and pourconcrete, all of which is expensive and, especially, time-consuming.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a new foundation for buildingsuperstructures that is especially adapted for simple and fastconstruction in remote locations.

Other objects of the invention include providing a foundation that

can easily be put in place on a horizontal piece of land, without havingto dig it and pour cement concrete into any ditches and/or pour a cementslab;

is part of the superstructure itself, thus being above the terrain'slevel and affording a margin of safety in case of a floods by elevatingthe ground floor;

counteracts externally applied forces due, for example, to wind andearthquake;

requires no maintenance; and

is easy, quick and affordable to construct.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained, in afoundation for a building, which is part of its superstructure bydefining with metalogs an aboveground enclosure at the bottom and addingfill to the enclosure to a height sufficient to give it the requiredweight for the superstructure to withstand horizontal forces the sameway it would if it were to be anchored to a conventional foundation.Preferably, the fill comprises a first fill that is contained in amultiplicity of bags each of which is relatively small relative to theenclosure, and a second fill atop the first fill that is initially loosebut is then leveled and compacted to support furniture and humantraffic.

The first fill has enough weight for the superstructure to withstandhorizontal forces, even in a high wind, and is contained in bags so asto avoid horizontal pressure on the metalogs, which are made of lightgauge steel and would otherwise be deformed. The second fill extendsonly a short height above the first fill. While it is initially looseand abuts the metalogs, it has insufficient weight to deform them. Inmore detail:

Metalogs are simply laid in a rectangular pattern with their axeshorizontal to define an aboveground foundation enclosure. The bottommostmetalogs rest directly on the ground but are not embedded in the ground.Connectors at each corner of the rectangle connect the metalogs. Theconnectors with their attached metalogs are stacked to a height equal tothe sum of the diameters of a number of metalogs.

Workers using any convenient means such as shovels load a multiplicityof bags with dirt, gravel, sand, a mixture thereof, or another locallyavailable fill.

There are alternatives to bag designs and ways of filling suchrecipients:

The containers can be wooden barrels, cloth or paper bags, cardboardboxes, short metalogs arranged with their axes oriented vertically, etc.

The containers can be filled and then placed in the enclosure asdescribed below or (preferably, if the containers are relatively largeand heavy) placed in the enclosure as described below and then filled.

The loaded containers constitute a first fill and a large number ofthem, preferably as many as possible, are placed in the foundationenclosure in frictional contact with the metalogs that define theenclosure. The containers occupy the enclosure or at least its peripheryto a height (and consequent weight) sufficient to resist foreseeablehorizontal forces on the superstructure.

For a one-story superstructure, a fill of high density, or a region oflow winds, a height of three to six metalogs may suffice; for atwo-story structure, a fill of low density, or a high-wind region, aheight of six metalogs or even more may be required in accordance withcase-by-case engineering calculations. Depending on the height of thecontainers and the height of the foundation, one or more layers ofcontainers may be required.

The first fill is confined by the containers so as not to exert asignificant lateral force on the metalogs. The metalogs, despite theirlight construction and the great weight of the first fill, are thereforenot deformed by the first fill.

A second fill is added atop the first fill. The second fill is initiallyloose (not confined by multiple containers) and makes direct contactwith the metalogs and with the containers immediately below the secondfill. However, the second fill extends only a short height above thecontainers. While the second fill is in direct contact with at least onemetalog in each wall of the foundation enclosure, it does not extend toohigh above the containers and has insufficient weight to exert enoughforce against the metalogs to deform them.

Some of the second fill trickles down a certain distance and enters intospaces between the containers and into spaces between the metalogs. Someof the second fill may even be in direct contact with the ground. It iswithin the scope of the invention to omit containers from the centralpart of the enclosure and in that case the second fill is of course indirect contact with the ground in the central part of the enclosure.

The second fill, which is initially loose, is raked flat and tamped(compacted) to form a hardpan floor that does not turn appreciably muddywhen wet. No additional flooring is required, but flooring made ofconcrete, plywood or another material is optional, as of course iscarpeting.

The superstructure is completed with a roof, one or more door and windowframes, etc. Means such as stairs or a ramp is provided for access tothe entryway, which is elevated above the surrounding ground.

A number of additional features characterize the preferred embodiment ofthe invention: Each metalog is cylindrical and substantially tangent toan adjacent metalog, and the second fill follows the cylindricalcurvature of at least the uppermost metalogs of the foundationenclosure, possibly up to the tangent line between the uppermostmetalogs and the metalogs next below them.

The ratio of the height of the superstructure for which the foundationis intended to the height of the foundation does not exceed 5:1 and inmost environments is preferably in the range of 3:1 to 4:1. Optimally,in environments that are not too windy, the ratio is substantially 5:1.

In accordance with the invention, the foundation:

can be constructed by unskilled manual labor, once the metalogs areformed and at hand, without having to bring to the site any skilledlabor, cement, sand and iron bars;

can support a building superstructure of up to two stories;

is elevated above the surrounding ground (is not a water sink) andtherefore affords a margin of safety in a flood;

resists external forces due, for example, to wind, earthquake, or flood;

requires no maintenance; and

is easy, quick and inexpensive to put in place.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the objects, features and advantages of theinvention can be gained from a consideration of the following detaileddescription of its preferred embodiments, together with the appendeddrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a first pair of elongatedmetalogs (with corner connectors attached at either end) about to belaid parallel to each other on bare, flat, level ground in positionsindicated by dotted rectangles separated by a distance substantiallyequal to the length of a second pair of elongated metalogs, shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is an isometric perspective view of the second pair of metalogs(with corner connectors attached at either end), which are about to belaid parallel to each other with their corner connectors atop the cornerconnectors attached to the metalogs of FIG. 1, the second pair ofmetalogs of FIG. 2 being perpendicular to the metalogs of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an isometric perspective view of the second pair of metalogsinterlocked with the first pair of metalogs;

FIG. 4 is an isometric perspective view of a later stage of the processof assembling a building superstructure, showing the addition of framingfor entryways;

FIG. 5 is an isometric perspective view showing the framing of FIG. 4seated and further showing the addition of contained fill to anchor thesuperstructure in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 is an isometric perspective view, partly broken away, showing theaddition of loose fill atop the contained fill to form a level hardpanfloor;

FIG. 7 is an isometric perspective view showing the completion of thehardpan floor;

FIG. 8 is an isometric perspective view showing a later stage of theprocess, after the addition of windows and entry stairs;

FIG. 9 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away, showing abuilding superstructure, which could be another superstructuresubstantially the same as the one the construction of which is shown inFIGS. 1-8, put up under the same auspices, at substantially the sametime, in the same general area, using the same tube-forming machine, andemploying the same laborers; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary end view of a metalog that has a cylindricalcurvature and is substantially tangent to a vertically adjacent metalogthat also has a cylindrical curvature, showing that some of the secondfill follows the cylindrical curvatures up to the tangent line betweenthe two metalogs to assist in locking the foundation to thesuperstructure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As explained in detail below, whereas in conventional practice abuilding superstructure is erected on top of a foundation, in accordancewith the present invention the foundation is elevated above thesurrounding ground, and the lower part of the superstructure surroundsthe foundation rather than being erected on top of it.

FIG. 1 shows a first pair of elongated metalogs 10 used at the beginningof the construction of a foundation 11, most clearly seen in FIG. 9.Each is secured at either end to corner connectors 12. The metalogs 10are about to be laid parallel to each other on bare, flat, level groundin positions indicated by dotted rectangles 14.

The dotted rectangles 14 represent measured positions that can beinscribed on the ground. Alternatively, the metalogs 10 can be roughlypositioned, and their precise separation and parallel alignment can bedetermined by a second pair of metalogs 16 with corner connectors 18that interlock with the corner connectors 12 as shown in prior art citedabove and as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings appendedhereto.

The metalogs 10 and 16 form an aboveground enclosure 20 (FIG. 3), whichin nearly all cases will be rectangular but could have another shape. Inthe usual case, the metalogs 10 have equal length, and the metalogs 16have equal length, but the metalogs 10 do not necessarily have a lengthequal to the length of the metalogs 16.

In accordance with the invention, fill indicated generally at 22 in FIG.6 is added to the enclosure 20. The fill 22 is added to a heightsufficient to anchor and support the superstructure 25 in the absence ofthe usual concrete slab or in-ground basement.

That height to which the fill 22 is added will depend on its density,the height of the superstructure 25 (FIGS. 8 and 9), and the externalforces expected to be applied to the superstructure 25 in theenvironment in which it is located. Factors arguing for a greater heightof fill 22 include lower-density fill, greater height of thesuperstructure 25, and higher expected winds in the vicinity of thesuperstructure 25.

The fill 22 is of two types, described separately below: a multiplycontained first fill 24, shown in FIGS. 5, 6, 9, and 10, and an(initially) loose second fill 26, shown in FIGS. 6-10. The first fill 24is massive and capable by itself of adequately anchoring and supportingthe superstructure. The second fill 26 is leveled and compressed intohardpan and provides a solid support for furniture and human traffic.

Contained Fill 24

The contained first fill 24, comprises a multiplicity of containers 28(FIG. 5) into which any suitable fill 24 is placed, such as sand, clay,dirt, gravel, or a mixture thereof. It is within the scope of theinvention to include sizable rocks, fairly large pieces of metal, andother debris in the contained fill 24, though in such case it ispreferably mixed with finer fill so that there are no appreciable voidsleft within the fill containers 28. This helps to ensure that there isno opportunity for the fill 24 to shift within the containers 28 afterinstallation and that the fill in each container 28 rises to the sameheight.

The containers 28 should be sturdy enough not to break open from theweight of the contained first fill 24. The larger the containers 28 thesturdier they must be to withstand the weight of the contained fill 24.They can in principle be made of wooden barrels, cloth bags, paper bags,cardboard boxes, and/or metalogs, so long as they are sturdy enough andare resistant enough to moisture and other conditions in the environmentthat might cause rot or other degradation of the containers 28 overtime.

Unskilled local laborers using wheelbarrows and shovels can findsuitable nearby fill and load the containers 28 either before or afterpositioning them in their desired locations within the enclosure 20. Toavoid having to move filled containers 28, especially if they are largeand consequently heavy, it will usually be preferred to place emptycontainers 28 in their desired locations within the enclosure 20 beforeadding the first fill 24.

As indicated above, metalogs can be used as containers 28 for fill. Whenso used they are much shorter than the average length of the metalogsused in the walls of the superstructure and are preferably mounted withtheir axes oriented vertically. No corner connectors are required.

Since a metalog used as a container 28 is placed on flat ground withinthe enclosure 20, its ends need not be sealed if the fill is added afterplacement of the metalog container 28 in its desired position within theenclosure 20. If one end of a metalog container 28 is sealed, first fill24 can be added to it when it is not in its desired location within theenclosure 20, and the filled metalog container 28 can then be moved toits desired location. Closing the tops of metalog containers 28 isoptional but not required.

Depending on the desired total height of the contained fill 24 and theheight of the individual containers 28, more than one level ofcontainers 28 may be provided. In that case, the containers 28 in thelowest level rest on the ground, as illustrated in the drawings, thecontainers in the next level (not separately illustrated) rest on thecontainers in the first level, and so on if there are additional levels.Higher levels of containers will normally be sealed at least at thebottom.

Metalogs forming the walls of a building superstructure are typicallymade of thin, inexpensive material to minimize overall constructioncosts. While they easily resist deformation by wind, they could bedeformed by a large weight of loose fill in the enclosure 20. Thecontainers 28 prevent the contained fill 24 from settling horizontallyand pressing too forcibly against the metalogs. The containers 28therefore prevent the fill 24 from deforming the metalogs.

The contained fill 24 is in frictional contact with the metalogs allaround the perimeter of the enclosure 20, so that the superstructure 25has no room to move relative to the fill 24 in response to a high windor other source of an external force applied to the superstructure 25.The fill 24 is massive, rises to the requisite height in view of thefactors mentioned above, and therefore by itself adequately supports andanchors the superstructure 25

Loose Second Fill Raked Smooth and Level and Compacted into Hardpan

The second fill 26 is fine-grained and initially loose and is raked andtamped (compacted) to form a smooth and level hardpan surface. It is indirect contact with the metalogs defining the enclosure 20 at the heightof the fill 26 but forms a relatively shallow coating over the containedfill 24 and is of insufficient weight to deform the metalogs.

Since the fill 26 is fine-grained and initially loose, it sifts down tofill or partly fill the typically small spaces between the containers28, thus forming a monolithic structure that prevents the containers 28from moving relative to one another after completion of the foundation11, even in a high wind. To avoid the risk of the unit being washed awayin a flowing flood notwithstanding the weight of its base, one may plantone or more solid poles (not shown) in the ground within the foundationwalls before placing the bags or containers 28.

Each metalog has a cylindrical curvature and is substantially tangent toa vertically adjacent metalog. As FIG. 10 shows, the second fill 26follows the cylindrical curvature of any metalogs it makes contact with.In some construction projects, depending on the depth of the second fill26, the fill 26 will follow the curvature of vertically adjacentmetalogs up to the tangent line 30 between the metalogs to furtherassist in locking the superstructure to the foundation 11.

Wheelbarrows can be used to move locally available second fill 26 to theimmediate vicinity of the worksite. The second fill 26 can then beapplied atop the contained first fill 24 by unskilled laborers manningshovels and rakes. Compaction can be done with simple hand-heldcompaction tools plus water-filled drums that are rolled manually.

As the second fill 26 is added, it first begins sifting down into anysmall spaces between the containers 28 and between the foundationmetalogs that define the enclosure 20 and the containers 28 that are infrictional contact therewith.

In accordance with the invention, the ratio of the height of thesuperstructure 25 to the height of the foundation 11 does not exceed5:1. If the ratio is greater than that, there is a risk that thesuperstructure 25 will be “top-heavy” relative to the foundation 11,even in a relatively benign environment with light winds. In mostenvironments, the ratio will be in the range of 3:1 to 8:1. An optimumratio suitable for most environments is substantially 5:1.

Method of the Invention

The method of constructing a foundation 11 for a building superstructure25 in accordance with the invention comprises the steps of arrangingmeans such as a plurality of metalogs to define an aboveground enclosure20 and adding a sufficient quantity of fill 22 to the enclosure 20 infrictional contact with the enclosure-defining means to anchor andsupport the superstructure.

More specifically, it comprises using metalogs as the enclosure-definingmeans, adding a first fill 24 to the enclosure, containing the firstfill 24 so as not to deform the metalogs, and adding atop the first fill24 a second fill 26 that is loose and of insufficient weight to deformthe metalogs. The second fill 26 is then leveled and compacted to form ahardpan floor.

The operations of adding second fill 26, raking it level, and compactingit will usually be performed sequentially and cyclically: that is, somesecond fill 26 is added, then it is raked, then it is compacted, thenmore second 26 fill is added, raked, and compacted, and so on until thedesired thickness of compacted second fill 26 is attained.

At suitable points during the erection of superstructures according tothe invention, door framing 32, windows 34, stairs 36 providing accessto the entrance or entrances, etc., are provided, as those in theindustry understand.

Thus there is provided in accordance with the invention a novel andhighly effective foundation for building superstructures and method forits construction. The invention has features that make it especiallydesirable in situations where speed of construction is important andconstruction costs must be kept to a minimum.

Many modifications of the preferred embodiments of the inventiondisclosed herein will readily occur to those skilled in the art uponconsideration of this disclosure. The invention extends to allstructures and methods that fall within the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. A foundation for building superstructures, the foundation comprising: metalogs resting directly on the ground but not embedded in the ground, the metalogs defining an aboveground enclosure, and fill filling the aboveground enclosure to a height sufficient to anchor and support the superstructure, wherein the fill comprises: a first fill in frictional contact with the metalogs, the first fill having a weight sufficient to anchor and support the superstructure and being confined to avoid deforming the metalogs, and a loose second fill atop the first fill having insufficient weight to deform the metalogs and being leveled and compacted to form a hardpan floor.
 2. (canceled)
 3. A foundation according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of containers for confining the first fill.
 4. A foundation according to claim 3 wherein the containers are selected from the group consisting of wooden barrels, cloth bags, paper bags, cardboard boxes, and metalogs.
 5. A foundation according to claim 4 wherein the metalogs have axes that are oriented vertically.
 6. A foundation according to claim 1 wherein each metalog has a cylindrical curvature and is substantially tangent to a vertically adjacent metalog and some of the second fill follows a cylindrical curvature up to the tangent to assist in locking the foundation to the superstructure.
 7. A foundation according to claim 1 wherein the ratio of the height of the superstructure to the height of the foundation does not exceed 5:1.
 8. A foundation according to claim 7 wherein the ratio is within the range of 4:1 to 3:1.
 9. A foundation according to claim 7 wherein the ratio is substantially 5:1.
 10. A method of constructing a foundation for a building superstructure, the method comprising the steps of: laying metalogs directly on the ground but not embedded in the ground, the metalogs defining an aboveground enclosure; and adding a sufficient quantity of fill to the aboveground enclosure in frictional contact with the metalogs defining the enclosure to anchor and support the superstructure.
 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein adding the fill comprises: adding a first fill; containing the first fill so as not to deform the metalogs; adding atop the first fill a second fill that is loose and of insufficient weight to deform the metalogs; leveling the second fill; and compacting the second fill to form a hardpan floor.
 12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the steps of adding, leveling and compacting the second fill are performed sequentially and cyclically. 